John f



1, F. STIRLING.

- Key.

Patented Dec. 13, 1859.

V No. 26,450.

T WIT/ 655 at;

N. PETERS. Phuto-lilhogmphnr. Waslnnglon. n. c.

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. STERLING, OFSAN FRANCISCO, oA IronN1. x. p

, WATCH-KEY} Specification of Letters Patent No. 26,450, dated December 13, i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. STERLING, of the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement for Keys, which I call Sterlings Improved Key; and I do hereby declare that the followin is a full, clear, and exact description 0 the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,

making a part of this specification, 1n

which- Figure 1, represents the key of a door lock. Fig. 2, represents a section of the same. Fig. 3, represents a watch key. Fig. 4, represents a section of the same.

My invention consists in a watch or door key as a new article of manufacture viz:

with a hollow pod or shank open at both ends, so that any dirt that may get into the pod or shank may work through to the opposite end and drop out, and not become clogged therein.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

In Figs. land 2, Ihayetrepresented a; p

door or lock key constructed after my planthe stem or shank thereofbeing houowau the way through as seen at a in Fig. 2.. Any dirt that may getinto the stemwill drop or be forced through to the opposite end, and thus not lodge in the key, and pres s5 vent it from properly operating 1n itslock, as often happens, c i c InFigs. 3,and 4, Ihaye shownthe principle applied to Watch keys,thel stem thereof being hollow and open atboth ends, Y 49 as shown at a in Fig. 4:, sothat ianyydirt getting into the key willlpass or be driven out at the open end thereof. I

What I claim as my inyention,and; jderj sire to secure by Letters Patent is 1 As a new article ofman fuacture awatch i or door key with a hollow stem orpod,,open;

. at both its ends, so that anything getting into p it that would obstruct its action, willdrop] or. 3

be pushed out, throughl t he open stem as set 3 forth.

Witnesses: JOHN ELLIcoT'r,Jr.,;,-f CHAS. R. BoND. 

